Elfriede, also known as Elfreda, Elfrida, Alfrida, Elfrieda, Elftrude, Elftraut among other variants, is a female given name, derived from ''Ælfþryð'' (Aelfthryth) meaning "

elf An elf () is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic mythology and folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology. They are subsequently mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's Icelandic Prose Edda. He distinguishes "ligh ...

-strength". The name fell out of fashion in the Middle Ages and was revived in the 19th century in both England and Germany. Although some of its modern forms like Alfieda can be mistaken for feminine versions of

Alfred Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *''Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interlu ...

, that derives from ''Ælfræd'' ('elf-counsel' or 'wise-elf'). The Southern German diminutive

Friedel Friedel or Friedl is a Southern German diminutive variation of the surname Fried - or alternately, a diminutive of Elfriede - and may refer to: Four French scientists with the same Friedel family name are in direct lineage, Charles, Georges, Ed ...

Friedl Friedl is a Southern German diminutive variation of the name Fried - or alternately, a diminutive of the feminine given names Elfriede and Frederika. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Friedl Behn-Grund (1906–1989), German cinema ...

is nowadays more common than the full name.

Medieval

* Saint

Ælfflæd of Whitby Saint Ælfflæd (654–714) was the daughter of King Oswiu of Northumbria and Eanflæd. She was abbess of Whitby Abbey, an abbey of nuns that were known for their skills in medicine, from the death of her kinswoman Hilda in 680, first joi ...

, daughter of King

Oswiu of Northumbria Oswiu, also known as Oswy or Oswig ( ang, Ōswīg; c. 612 – 15 February 670), was King of Bernicia from 642 and of Northumbria from 654 until his death. He is notable for his role at the Synod of Whitby in 664, which ultimately brought the chur ...

and

Eanflæd Eanflæd (19 April 626 – after 685, also known as Enfleda) was a Deiran princess, queen of Northumbria and later, the abbess of an influential Christian monastery in Whitby, England. She was the daughter of King Edwin of Northumbria and Æth ...

, abbess of

Whitby Abbey Whitby Abbey was a 7th-century Christian monastery that later became a Benedictine abbey. The abbey church was situated overlooking the North Sea on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, England, a centre of the medieval Northumbrian ...

(654–714) * Saint

Ælfthryth of Crowland Ælfthryth, also known as Alfreda, Alfritha, Aelfnryth, or Etheldritha, is a saint, virgin, and recluse, venerated in both the Roman Catholic Church and Antiochian Orthodox Church. She was a daughter of King Offa of Mercia and his consort, Cyne ...

(died c. 795) * Ælfthryth, wife of King Coenwulf of Mercia ( fl. 810s) *

Ælfthryth, Countess of Flanders Ælfthryth of Wessex (c. 877 – 7 June 929), also known as Elftrudis (Elftrude, Elfrida), was an English princess and a countess consort of Flanders to Baldwin II. Life She was the youngest daughter of Alfred the Great, the Saxon King of ...

, daughter of King

Alfred the Great Alfred the Great (alt. Ælfred 848/849 – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who bot ...

(d. 929) * Elftrude, daughter of

Adele of Vermandois Adele of Vermandois (bef. 915–960) was both a Carolingian as well as a Robertian Frankish noblewoman who was the Countess of Flanders (934–960). Life Adele, born Detlev Schwennicke, ''Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der ...

and

Arnulf I, Count of Flanders Arnulf I (c. 893/899 – 27 March 965), called "the Great", was the first Count of Flanders. Life Arnulf was the son of margrave Baldwin II of Flanders and Ælfthryth of Wessex, daughter of Alfred the Great.Detlev Schwennicke, '' Europäische St ...

(10th century) * Ælfthryth, wife of Edgar, king of England, mother of Ethelred the Unready (d. 1000)

Modern

Elfrida Andrée Elfrida Andrée (19 February 1841 – 11 January 1929), was a Swedish organist, composer, and conductor. A 1996 recording on the Caprice label features Andrée's piano quintet, along with a piano sonata, the string quartet in D minor, and vo ...

(1841–1929), Swedish organist, composer and conductor *

Elfrida De Renne Barrow Elfrida De Renne Barrow (1884–1970) was an author and poet who has been honored as a Georgia Woman of Achievement. Barrow joined the Georgia Historical Society in 1920 as a curator and one of the first women allowed into the organization. In her ...

(1884–1970), American author and poet * Elfriede

Elfi von Dassanowsky Elfriede "Elfi" von Dassanowsky (February 2, 1924October 2, 2007) was an Austrian-born singer, pianist and film producer. Early life Elfi von Dassanowsky (also known as Elfi Dassanowsky or Elfriede Dassanowsky) was born Elfriede Maria Elisabe ...

(1924–2007), Austrian-born singer, pianist and film producer * Elfriede

Elfi Eder Elfriede "Elfi" Eder (born 5 January 1970 in Leogang) is a former alpine skier from Austria. She represented the Caribbean island of Grenada from 1998 to 1999, having previously competed for Austria. The alpine skier Sylvia Eder Sylvia ...

(born 1970), Austrian former alpine skier *

Elfriede Florin Elfriede Florin (26 March 1912 – 7 March 2006) was a German actress who was popular in the 1950s and 1960s, and is best known for featuring in the 1958 film ''Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Vict ...

(1912–2006), German actress *

Elfriede Geiringer Elfriede Geiringer (Fritzi; née Markovits; 13 February 1905 – 2 October 1998) was a Jewish survivor of World War II. She was the second wife of Otto Frank, who was the father of Anne and Margot Frank. Biography Early life Elfriede Markovits ...

(1905–1998), Austrian Holocaust survivor, second wife of Otto Frank, father of Anne Frank *

Elfriede Gerstl Elfriede Gerstl (16 June 1932 – 9 April 2009) was an Austrian author and Holocaust-survivor. Gerstl, who was Jewish, was born in Vienna, where her father worked as a dentist. Biography She survived the war years by hiding in various locations w ...

(1932–2009), Austrian author and Holocaust survivor * Elfriede

Elfi Graf Elfi Graf (born Elfriede Sepp 20 November 1952 in Dornbirn, Vorarlberg) is an Austrian Schlagersinger. Biography Graf was born in Dornbirn and grew up there with her two siblings. She studied classical music, but did not complete the course. In 1 ...

(born 1964), Austrian singer *

Elfriede Jelinek Elfriede Jelinek (; born 20 October 1946) is an Austrian playwright and novelist. She is one of the most decorated authors writing in German today and was awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in Literature for her "musical flow of voices and counter-voi ...

(born 1946), Austrian playwright, 2004 Nobel laureate in Literature *

Elfriede Lender Elfriede Amanda Lender (19 May 1882 Tallinn – 10 April 1974 Stockholm) was an Estonian teacher and pedagogue. Lender was the founder of the first Estonian-language girls' school in the Estonia. Since 1901 she worked as a teacher in Tallinn. In ...

(1882–1974), Estonian teacher and pedagogue *

Elfrida Pigou Elfrida Mary Pigou (February 28, 1911 – July 30, 1960) was a prominent Canadian mountaineer and pioneer with many first ascents to her credit. She was born in Vernon, British Columbia, the daughter of Meynell Henry Pigou and his wife Lilian ...

(1911–1960), Canadian mountaineer *

Elfrida Rathbone Elfrida Rathbone (1871–1940) was an English educationist and a member of the Rathbone family and the cousin of Eleanor Rathbone, who was an MP and campaigned for children's rights. Career She was born in Liverpool in July 1871 and was one of 11 ...

(1871–1940), English educationist *

Elfriede Rinkel Elfriede Lina Rinkel (née Huth, 14 July 1922 – July 2018) was a Nazi guard at the Ravensbrück concentration camp from June 1944 until April 1945 handling an SS-trained guard dog. Life Ravensbrück was the Nazi's largest concentration camp ...

(born 1922), guard at the Ravensbrück concentration camp *

Elfriede Saarik Elfriede Saarik (full name Erika Elfriede Elena Saarik, since 1941 Tubin; 22 May 1916 – 22 October 1983) was an Estonian dancer and stage actress. Career Elfriede Saarik was born in the Karkaraly District of Karaganda in Kazakhstan to Estonian ...

(1916–1983), Estonian dancer and stage actress * Alfreda

Freda Simmonds Alfreda "Freda" Simmonds (1912–1983) was a painter from New Zealand. Career Simmonds studied at the University of Auckland. At the end of World War II, Simmonds moved to Kaitaia, in the north of New Zealand, and developed an interest in pai ...

(1912–1983), New Zealand artist *

Elfriede Trötschel Elfriede Trötschel (11 December 1913 – 20 June 1958) was a German operatic soprano, she was a versatile singer with a wide-ranging repertoire. She studied in her native Dresden with Sophie Kuhnau-Bernard and Paul Schoffler. Noticed by condu ...

(1913–1958), German soprano * Elfrida Vipont, pen name of Elfrida Vipont Foulds (1902–1992), British author of children's books

Medieval

Modern

See also